Need
by Sci-fi Christian
Summary: After not saving Gabrielle from the Evil Xena in Armageddon, Iolaus, traumatized from the event, needs to see her, and realizes he needs her more than he ever thought he did before.


**I wrote this while studying for a Botany exam. I know, weird, but anyway. This is my second story for this fandom, so I hope you will enjoy.**

**Please remember to review at the end! :)**

**A/N: This story takes place after Armageddon, and if you don't remember Serena never married Hercules, due to him changing time, in The End of the Beginning episode. You'll understand why I mention this at the end. Enjoy!**

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He needed to see her. He had to. It wasn't a doubt or even a question in his mind. He just needed to see her.

He frowned as he walked down the wooded trail. What he had gone through, nobody should have gone. All for a friend, and to tell the truth, it was worth it, except for her.

He had always known that she was strong and independent, but when he saw her in the crowd, and then lay on a cross, he knew just how strong she actually was.

He had wanted to save her life. To protect her, but doing so would have destroyed everything, and he couldn't risk it.

He stopped in a small town, where he had heard of them staying, and looked into a small window of a tavern, and there he saw her.

She was smiling and happy, drinking with her friend. He sighed, and bowed his head with a smile. It was enough.

Turning on his heel, he didn't realize that she had seen him through the window, nor did he see her stand up, and head towards the door.

He had already made it out of town, when he heard his name being called behind him. He stopped, and closed his eyes for only a moment, before slowly turning around to face her.

"Gabrielle." He whispered, nodding towards her.

Gabrielle smiled faintly, but read the lines on his face. "What happened?" She asked, stepping closer towards him.

He shrugged, and shook his head. "Nothing." He replied, trying to smile.

She shook her head, and continued to close the distance between them. "Iolaus, you didn't walk however many miles just to say nothing." She stated, leaning on her staff.

He sighed, and bowed his head. "I just wanted to see you, Gabrielle. That's all." He replied, lifting his right hand a fraction towards her.

She smiled, and searched his face. "What happened?" She asked again, watching him shift on his feet.

He closed his eyes, and walked off the beaten path into the woods, and found a small stream of water with semi-large boulders resting next to them.

Gabrielle followed him, and watched him sit down on one of the boulders. "Iolaus." She pressed, gently, watching his eyes focus on water before them.

"I had to go back in time to save Alcmene." He began, in a distant tone. "Calisto was sent by Hope to kill Alcmene before Hercules was born." He added, turning to Gabrielle, and sent her a sympathetic look.

Gabrielle's back had stiffened upon hearing Calisto's name, and then stiffened even more upon hearing her daughter's. "Did you?" She asked in a whisper, though she already knew the answer.

Iolaus nodded, and turned back to the stream. "Only after a few jumps through time, and that was not all." He replied, bowing his head. "I saw your timeline change." He added, vaguely.

Gabrielle moved towards him, and leaned against the boulder he was still sitting on. "What happened?" She asked, patiently.

He closed his eyes. "Xena never changed from her dark ways, because Hercules had never been born. So you and she were never friends." He began, not opening his eyes for anything, until the end. "She ruled over Greece, but you stood up against her, and she…" He trailed off, jumping off the boulder, and walked towards the stream.

Gabrielle swallowed, and placed her staff against the boulder, and walked towards him. "It's okay." She whispered, touching his back gently.

He shook his head. "No, it's not, Gabrielle. Xena placed you on a cross, and broke your legs, and I just stood there, and did nothing to save you." He stated, turning to face her. "I did nothing." He repeated, angrily.

Gabrielle nodded, slowly, and closed the distance between them, and placed her hands on his chest. "Could you have?" She asked, searching his eyes.

He closed his eyes and nodded. "I could have, but it would have been a dangerous risk." He replied, sorrowfully.

"Would saving me have cost you the chance to save Hercules?" She asked, touching his face with her right hand.

He sighed, and bowed his head. "I don't know. It might have." He whispered, lifting his eyes to hers.

She smiled. "Then I don't blame you, Iolaus, because you did what you had to do to set things right. If saving me in that time would have destroyed this time, then I'm glad you didn't." She replied, tenderly.

He smiled faintly, and touched her face with his right hand. "I felt like I had been ripped in two when I saw you in so much pain." He whispered, searching her eyes.

Gabrielle saw his pain, and smiled. "I would have felt the same if I had seen you in pain." She whispered, searching his eyes.

Iolaus shook his head, and leaned forward to place his forehead on hers. "The whole time I was jumping around in time, I kept thinking, yes I needed to save Hercules, but I also needed to save you too." He whispered, rubbing his forehead on hers. "I couldn't bear the thought of living in a time where you died, Gabrielle." He added, pain dripping on his words.

She smiled, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Same here." She replied, gently.

"I need you in my life, Gabrielle." He remarked, pulling back a fraction. "If there was one thing I learned on my trip, it's I need you. The world needs Hercules, but I need you." He stated, watching her eyes fill with unshed tears.

She smiled, and ran her fingers through his hair. "And I need you, Iolaus." She whispered, nodding. "The world needs Xena too, and sometimes I need her friendship, but when everything is said and done, the only person I need to make my life seem worthwhile is you." She finished, watching him smile through tears.

Iolaus nodded, and held her eyes for a moment. There was one more thing he needed, and he knew she needed it too. Leaning down a fraction, he gently placed his lips on hers, and kissed her with all the need and emotion he felt for her.

Gabrielle felt his feelings rush over her like a wave, and when she pushed her body close to his, she knew there was no place she would rather be.

He pulled back, gently sucking on her lips, and opened his eyes to find the answer to his silent question. Moving his hands to her green top, he began to loosen the strings until the top could be pushed off.

Gabrielle smiled as his rough hands touched her slightly bronzed skin, and began to fondle her breasts. She threw her head back, when she felt his lips touch the peaks of her breasts, and her hands moved to his neck and back.

As he lifted his head, he searched her eyes as she pushed his vest off his shoulders, and ran her fingers over his bronzed skin. Pulling her into his arms, and crushing her bare breasts into his bare chest, Iolaus gently laid them down on their vests which covered the leaf covered ground.

He kissed her lips, and moved his left hand down her topless body towards the brown skirt, and began to push it down, after unfastening it.

Gabrielle smiled against his lips, as she felt his hands move over her bare skin. Feeling him pull back, she opened her eyes to watch him pull her skirt down her legs, and over her boots. He paused untie her boots, and gently pulled them off her feet, leaving her completely bare before his eyes.

Gabrielle felt the need in his hands, and saw the need and emotion in his eyes. Not since Perdicus, had she ever wanted or needed a man as much, and even then the need wasn't this strong.

The need and emotion showed in her eyes, causing Iolaus to move back up her body, and slowly kiss her as he lay on top of her. Gabrielle's fingers ran over his chiseled back, and into his hair. Her bare legs moved over his leather clad legs, and she arched into his body, as their tongues mated inside their mouths.

Iolaus pulled back, and smiled down at her, touching her face with his left hand. She smiled, and moved her hands down his bare chest to his pants, and quickly unfastened them, only to push them down his waist, with his help, until he kicked them off, leaving him bare to her eyes.

She smiled, and ran her fingers over his waist, and up his chest. She didn't need to say anything. She didn't have to. Her eyes said it all, and so did his.

Closing the distance between them, Iolaus captured her lips, as his hips positioned over hers, and slowly pushed down.

Gabrielle gasped into his mouth as he came into contact with her, and began to enter her with gentle need. Together they began to rock together with each thrust he made.

She arched her back, and met his thrusts with the same need, and felt the pleasure overwhelm her. She moaned, and opened her eyes to see his focused on her face with such tenderness that she felt tears fill her eyes.

This moment was theirs, and it was enough. He thrusted a few more times, and finally pushed deep within her, causing both of them to cry out in ecstasy and pleasure.

Iolaus didn't want to lie on top of her, but his strength gave out, until he collapsed. Gabrielle smiled, and wrapped her arms around his body, and slowly ran her right leg over his left leg.

After a few moments, Iolaus slowly propped himself up on his forearms to gaze down at her. He smiled down at her, and watched her brighten at the sight.

"I didn't mean for this to happen." He whispered, shaking his head, slowly.

Gabrielle shook her head, and touched his face with her right hand. "I know." She whispered, searching his eyes.

"I don't regret it." He added, firmly.

She smiled, and shook her head once more. "I don't either."

He smiled, and bent down to kiss her once more as the passion began to build up once more. Together they rode into the bliss of ecstasy once more, with only the rushing water, and the leaves crackling beneath them being the only sounds surrounding them, merging with them as they rode higher than the time before.

As they climbed down, sweat dripped between their bodies, and their hearts raced from the excitement of the moment.

Gabrielle panted, and gazed into Iolaus' eyes and smiled. "Is this the way it will always be when we meet?" She asked, with a gleam in her eyes.

Iolaus chuckled, and smiled, bending slightly to kiss her on the lips. "I hope so." He whispered, deepening the kiss slightly.

Gabrielle giggled, and wrapped her arms tighter around his neck. "I hate to ruin this, but I should get back to Xena." She replied, with a deep sigh.

He sighed, and kissed her cheek. "And I should get back to Hercules." He remarked, but made no move to get away from her.

Gabrielle shrugged her shoulders. "Ah, she could go a day without me." She whispered, titling her head to the side giving him access to her neck.

He chuckled deeply, and sucked on her neck. "So could he." He returned, kissing her jaw.

She smiled and moaned. "We're playing hooky, aren't we?" She asked, hoping for the right answer.

Iolaus lifted his head, and smirked. "You bet." He answered, watching her smile as she rolled her eyes.

"Well, then," She began, pushing him over so she was straddling him. "This time I lead." She finished, gazing down at him.

As she began, the last thought that came through Iolaus' mind was how he would always need her, and he prayed it would never stop.

In the distance, two friends met in the highway, and smiled at the sounds they heard.

"They need this." He whispered, stepping closer to the dark haired vixen.

Xena smiled, and stepped closer to him. "So do we." She replied, watching his hand lift to caress her face.

Hercules smiled, and stroked her cheek. "It's been too long." He whispered, leaning forward.

Xena nodded. "Much too long." She remarked, before his lips landed on hers.

As the sun settled above them, the four warriors each knew they would always need each other. For despite the distance between them at times, they would always find each other, because sometimes the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many.

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**I hope you enjoyed this! Please review, but keep it kind.**

**Until Next Time...**


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